Dropped Subject Pronouns

Level 1

Occitan usually leaves out the subject pronoun.

How It Works

English needs "I", "we" or "they" before every verb. Occitan does not. The ending already tells you who acts: parli (I speak), parlas (you speak), parlam (we speak). The sentence Parli occitan. is complete.

Keep the pronoun when you stress a person or contrast two people: Ieu parli occitan, mas el parla francés. Here ieu and el point at the two speakers.

The third person needs the most care. Parla can mean he speaks or she speaks, and the context has to say which. When the listener could be unsure, use a name or el or ela.

Èsser and aver show the person too: soi, avèm. So Soi a Albi. needs no ieu.

Examples (4)

  1. Parlam en occitan.

    We speak in Occitan.

    The ending -am shows we.

  2. Avètz un libre?

    Do you have a book?

    Avètz shows the listener without vos.

  3. Soi a Albi.

    I am in Albi.

    Soi shows I.

  4. Ieu parli occitan, mas el parla francés.

    I speak Occitan, but he speaks French.

    The pronouns are kept to contrast two people.

How It Connects

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Dropped Subject PronounsLevel 1

Learn This First

Dropping the subject pronoun works because the verb ending shows who acts, so a present tense comes first.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

ieutuelelanosautresvosautreseleselasnosautrasvosautras